Term-time contracts

rebeckachristina

Hi, has anyone requested a term-time only contract when due back to work after pregnancy? I'm after some help to work the whole thing out so I can present it to my employer in my request.

I'd like to do say 32.5 hours per week over 5 days (6.5 hours per day + 0.5 hour unpaid lunch) term time only, so for 39 weeks.

Background:
*Marketing company
*Previous hours per week 36.5, full time, over 5 days, all year round.
*23 holidays + bank holidays when office is closed (are they 8?) = 31
*Annual salary before tax £25 000

Anything else, just ask! Thanks for looking x

DomRavioli

Regardless of what your request contains, if the employer can justify it being of detriment to the business they can decline it.

Best to read up on such things through official sources and then base your request on legal footing, not anonymous people on an open forum.

kingfisherblue

rebeckachristina wrote: »

Hi, has anyone requested a term-time only contract when due back to work after pregnancy? I'm after some help to work the whole thing out so I can present it to my employer in my request.

I'd like to do say 32.5 hours per week over 5 days (6.5 hours per day + 0.5 hour unpaid lunch) term time only, so for 39 weeks.

Background:
*Marketing company
*Previous hours per week 36.5, full time, over 5 days, all year round.
*23 holidays + bank holidays when office is closed (are they 8?) = 31
*Annual salary before tax £25 000

Anything else, just ask! Thanks for looking x

How will this benefit the business? Will it leave the company without a necessary member of staff for an hour a day plus school holidays? They are unlikely to be able to employ someone for those hours.

Perhaps a more likely scenario would be a job share, where you and another employee each work 2.5 days a week (or one works two days and the other works three days), and you cover each other's holidays. However, this can mean additional costs for the company, and means that continuity is interrupted, so again might not be suitable for the company. It's possibly more likely than term time only and short hours though, unless your employer wants to reduce staff hours.

An employer can refuse a change/reduction in working hours if it affects business needs. IIRC, a formal application can only be made once a year, so it's important to think things through, point out the benefits to the business, and prepare to compromise if necessary.

Undervalued

kingfisherblue wrote: »

How will this benefit the business? Will it leave the company without a necessary member of staff for an hour a day plus school holidays? They are unlikely to be able to employ someone for those hours.

Perhaps a more likely scenario would be a job share, where you and another employee each work 2.5 days a week (or one works two days and the other works three days), and you cover each other's holidays. However, this can mean additional costs for the company, and means that continuity is interrupted, so again might not be suitable for the company. It's possibly more likely than term time only and short hours though, unless your employer wants to reduce staff hours.

An employer can refuse a change/reduction in working hours if it affects business needs. IIRC, a formal application can only be made once a year, so it's important to think things through, point out the benefits to the business, and prepare to compromise if necessary.

Yes indeed.

OP, your only meaningful right is to your original job. Anything else is a matter for negotiation.

Unless you genuinely believe you are so valuable to the business that they will move heaven and earth to keep you your focus needs to be on presenting a case as to how the change you want will benefit the business.

Otherwise whilst yes they have to consider it (and then only once a year) it is very very easy to decline.

Finally, and yes I know this shouldn't happen, some businesses tend to assume that employees in your position are likely to take time off for child care reasons, have further periods of maternity leave etc so they don't go out of their way to accommodate. Obviously many firms behave entirely properly but only you know which yours is likely to do.

Darksparkle

Haven't done this personally but know others who have.

They simply fill it a form with what they want. It then gets reviewed to see if the business can cope with it.

When I previously worked in a call centre, term time was usually okay to get big part time was nuch harder unless still offering to work a late shift or a weekend.

Now in an office where it is the other way about, can cope easily with part time hours but term time is an issue in the summer as they can't get anyone to cover the work for 6-8 weeks.

Is term time a necessity at this stage? Most I've know do this when child goes to school, not on return from maternity.